Ampoule file and blade holder



J 1950' J. E. THOMPSON 2,514,812

AMPOULE FILE AND BLADE HOLDER Filed Dec. 11, 1946 J4 MES 5. TH om so/v WW FM i atenied juiy 11, E56

2,514,812 U AMZPOULE FILE AND BLADE HOLDER James E. Thompson, San Jose, Calif., assignor of fifty per cent Calif.

to Walter S. McNear, San J ose,

I Application December ll, 1946, Serial No. 715,573-

. 1 s The present invention relates to a pocket type multiple purpose utility implement which is expressly, but not necessarily, adapted to be utilized as a holder and operating device for a toothed file, such as lends itself forscoring and subse quently decapping ampul tipsto expedite use of the contents of suchampul. i I

'As the introductory statement of the invention implies, I have evolved and produced a simple and expedient tool or implement which serves to accommodate, on the one hand, an ampul scoring file and which is e'qually'well adaptedfor use as a holder for rigid imperforatesingle 'edge razor blades, whereby to provide a handy device for sharpening pencils, cutting string, and for any other purposes .for which a device of this type may satisfactorily be used.

More specifically, in carrying out the preferred embodiment and principles of the invention, I

employ inner and outer sheath-like members, the

outerone constituting an adapter and handle and scabbard, and the inner'one constituting a fileand blade holder, said members being fitted together in telescoping relation and the inner member being longitudinally shiftable in a mannerto permit the usable edge of the blade to be projected and retracted according to the needs of the user.

1, Another object ofthe invention has to do with the aforementioned assemblage of 'coacting. sheath-like members, the inner one being provided with anovel blade clamping and actuating means having heads which arekeyed and slidable in diagonal cam slots formed in the side walls of the outer sheath to thus provide the desired.

shifting action which serves to either extend or retract the usable edge of said blade.

, By way of introduction to the detaileddescription,reference being had to my drawings, it will be; seen that the implement is characterized by an outer sheath having inclined cam'slots in itsopposed parallel I walls, an inner and smaller sheath fitting telescopically between said walls, theside walls of the inner sheath serving to grip and frictionally clamp the flat, imperforate blade between themselves, and being bound into clamp ing positions by a headed fastener, preferably a:

bolt and nut, which does not pierce the blade, but accomplishes the desired remote clamping action and serves, in addition, to assemble the, two sheaths and rides back and forth in said camming slots.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent I 8 Claims. *(Cl. 30-162) from the following description and the acac a:

panying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views Figure l is a side elevational view of a hand scoring andcutting implement constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention, the cutting blade being shown in its retracted safety position, readied for use.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the outer sheath, the inner sheath being shown in elevation with the blade extended for use.

structure seen in Figures 1 and 2 with portions broken'away and shown in section to bring out I certain of the details of construction.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the blade-' holding sheath per se, theblade being omitted.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the plane of the" line 5-"-5 of Figure 2.

bling and blade clamping means.

Referring now'to the various figures of the drawing, and particularly to the elements or parts thereof, it will be Seen that the outer sheath of adapter is denoted by the numeral 8. This is of general wedge-shaped configuration in side elevation. The opposite, intermediate, side wall portions are formed with elongated slots 9 and one wall is provided with indentations l0 and ll functioning as holder retaining detents, in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed.

Figure 6 is a detail viewof thetwo-part assemf The tool or blade-holding sheath is difieren i tiated and denoted by the numeral l2 and is of approximately the same'general shape as the outer sheath 8. As shown in the drawings, it is considerably shorter than the outer sheath so. that it may be shiftedback and forth to full and dotted line positions, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, for adjustment purposes.

in'Figures 1 and 2, respectively. One side wall,

at one end of said holder sheath, is provided with" L-shaped indentations l3 coacting with rectilinearly straight supplementaryindentations M, said indentations functioning as abutments or stops for the blade. The respective abutments on" said side wall'are so positioned and arranged in relation to each other as to provide a pocket for accommodation of the bladeor file I5, as the case may be. As before stated, part 15 maybe Figure 3 is a bottom plan or edge view of the v This blade accommodation and holding sheath I2 is shaped and proportioned to permit same to occupy the Shiit able in and out positions seen in full lines broadly referred to as a tool and may be either a razor blade or a toothed ampul scoring file. One side wall, that is, the side wall l6 of the blade holder sheath, is provided with a keeper hole I! for selective reception of the detents III and II. When the detent I is inserted and fitted into the keeper hole I l, as,v shown in Figure. 3, the tool or blade is positioned in a projected manner for use. When the sheath I2 is slid from left to right, as shown in Figure 2 in dotted lines, the keeper hole I! is then registered with the detent ll, whereby to assist in maintaining therespective parts 8 and [2 in. predetermined rela tionship. The material used, which may be of any suitable character, is sufficiently resilient to permit the desired snap action to be attained.

The side walls of the sheath 1'2 are also provided whereby to permit same to be shifted back and forth to attain the desired projectable and. re-

tractable results.

This holder lends itself to practical accommodation of single edge safety razor blades of the rigid, imperforate type. However, it, is possible to take any double edged flexible. blade. and. to break it into halves and to use the halves in the holder. It is so designed that the blade can be extended for use in cutting. anything the user might want to cut with a sharp. razor blade: The 1 blade can be retracted within the holder where it cannot cut the fingers or have thecutting edge dulled or ruined, so that it may be safely. carried in pocket or purse. It is provided with means to clamp the-blade in its holder, so blades can be easily. removed and-new ones inserted.

It is alsov designed as a holder for. a glass ampul toothed file blade for scoring. the necks or'tips of ampuls, so they can be tapped off and the contents removed. The ampul file is the same shape and approximate size. as the razor blade shown, except for the cutting edge whichis a series of fine teeth, such as a steel cutting file. The ampul file is made of cemented carbide compound to insure long wear, andis approxi-. mately twice as hard as the ampul glass.

The clamping unit is fastened to. the blade holder and is positioned within the slotsand holds the blade holder withinthe outer sheath, and with the aid of the ends of the slots acts as a stop for forward position and reverse. The heads ofv the clamping unit protrude past the surface of, the outside of. the sheath, making. it possible when holding the holder with two fingers of the left hand to use the thumb of the right hand against the head of the clamping .unit on one side and the forefinger on the other side, and sliding.

the blade holder into position.

Reference being had again to the tool l5, the

one shown is a safety razor blade which isa I rigid, imperforate plate with a single cutting edge.

In view of the foregoing description takeniin. conjunction with the accompanying drawingalit isbelleved that a clear understanding of the con- 75 This comprises a bolt struction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention that the same is susceptible to certain changesfully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaimz' l. A pockettype tool of the class described comprising a sheath, U-shaped in cross-section, the free longitudinal edges of the opposed side walls being straight from end to end, said side walls having opposed cam slots disposed at oblique angles to said free edges, a progressively extensible and retractible tool holder slidable in said sheath, and. headed fastener means carried byv said holder and keyedand slidable back and forth in said cam slots.

2. A pocket-type. tool of" the class described comprising a sheath, U-shapedin cross-section, the free longitudinal edges of the opposed'side" walls being straightfrom end to'endj, said sidewalls havingopposed, cam slots disposed at oblique angles to said freefedges, a progressively extensible and retractible tool 'h'olderslidable'in said sheath, and fastener means carried by said holder and keyed and slidable back and forth in" said cam slots, said fastener means being a double headed fastener, theheads of which operate in said cam slots;

3. A pocket-type tool" of" the class described comprising a sheath, U-shapedini cross-section,

the free longitudinaledgesof the opposed side walls being str'aigl'it from'end to end; said. side walls having. Opposed cam: slots" disposed at oblique angles to" said freeedges, an extensible and retractible tool holder slida'ble' insaid sheath,

and fastener means carried by'said'holder and keyed andslidable back and forth in said cam slots, said fastener means being 'e-double headed fastener, the heads of which operate in said cam slots, the diameter of said heads being equal to the widths of said slots and said heads riding almost wholly within the confines of saidfslots-J 4. A pocket type' ampul file and safetyrazor blade holder' of the class described comprising an outer sheath, U-shaped in cross-section; the free longitudinal edges of the opposedside wallsof said sheath being straight from endto end'and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sheath,

said side walls having opposed duplieate linearly ing the sidewalls of said inner sheathiandzhavs" ing a clamping. nut onits shank corresponding to the head on the opposite end of. the shank;

said nut and head being slidable in adjacentslots and coacting with thealongitudinal edgesyof the. slots to actuate the inner sheath from in to out position, and a blade, independent of saidbolt, held frictionally between predetermined edge portions of. the sidewalls Of Said inner sheath.

5. A pocket-type ampul file and safety, razor blade holder of the class described comprising-an outer. sheath, U shapedlin crossesection, the-free longitudinal edges of the opposed side walls of a 5 said sheath being straight from end to end and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said sheath, said side walls having opposed duplicate linearly straight cam slots, said slots being obliquely angled in respect to said free edges, an inner sheath slidably mounted between the side walls of the outer sheath, said inner sheath bein U-shaped in cross-section and smaller in proportion than the outer sheath, a headed bolt piercing the side walls of said inner sheath and having a clamping nut on its shank corresponding to the head on the opposite end of the shank, and nut and head being slidable in adjacent slots and coacting with the longitudinal edges of the slots to actuate the inner sheath from in to out position, and a blade, independent of said bolt, held frictionally between predetermined edge portions of the side walls of said inner sheath, one of said last-named sidewalls having orderly arranged indentations forming stops and adapted to limit the degree of insertion of the blade between said side walls.

6. As a new article of manufacture and as a component part of a device of the class described, a sheath adapted to serve as holder and clamp for an insertable and removable flat tool, at least one wall of said sheath having vtool locating detents, a tool fitted and held solely by friction between said walls and abutting said detents, and a tool clampingfastener piercing said walls, independently and remote from said tool, and serving to frictionally bind said walls against said tool.

7. Asa new article of manufacture and a component part of a tool of the class described, a sheath adapted to function as combined handle and Scabbard, said sheath being u-shaped in cross-section and the free edges of the opposed parallel side walls being elongated, opposite to one another and linearly straight from end to end and said side walls having duplicate oppositely aligned slots, and said slots being oblique to said free edges, whereby to function as inclined cams for a headed fastener which is adapted to be slidably mounted in said slots.

8. As a new article of manufacture and a component part of a tool and holder of the class described, an elongated substantiall wedgeshaped sheath adapted to serve as a handle as well as a blade-encasing scabbard, said sheath being U-shaped in cross-section, the free longitudinal edges being straight from end to end and REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,496,927 Evers June 10, 1924 1,887,188 Ross Nov. 8, 1932 2,094,260 Brody Sept. 28, 1937 2,107,736 Huber Feb. 8, 1938 

